Minelab E-Trac vs Whites Spectra V3: End of the Debate

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1. BlendMount Your Beltronics / Escort Radar Detector. High Quality Custom Mount
2. Brendan July 8, 2010 at 12:17 am

   

   In the end it comes down to what you want from your machine, and how you intend to use it. The sensitivity of both machines is really quite incredible and reportedly on-par, though as an ex-Minelab Explorer owner I recently turned to Whites spectra V3i for the following reasons…

   Excellent customer support and service from their Scottish service center – Consistent since owning a Whites CoinMaster 6000 DI-Pro in the mid-80′s.

   Prospecting mode – moving/tracking graph good for not only gold-prospecting but also scanning for hot-spots, such as settlements and trading posts.

   Very high quality wireless phones so you don’t have to worry about the cord when you put the machine down to dig, and the innovative stereo disc + non-disc audio in separate ears gives you the confidence to run with higher disc while learning the machine.

   Many different metering modes and extensive machine customisation capabilities.

   Secured owner registration details on the machine, reducing theft value.

   Very stable V3i firmware, with future firmware upgrades made available from the manufacturers.

   Honesty about the actual simultaneous-frequency (3-band) technology, rather than the totally misleading 28-frequency FBS marketing hype attached to Minelab machines.

   Stronger carbon-fibre lower shaft, and externally-wrapped coil wire making coil changes quicker and easier.

   This is my honest appraisal, and I’ve no desire to resort to this or that is better as, in a way, that would be like comparing a sports coupe to a 4WD. People who regularly exhibit a display of tribal warface about their machines rarely understand what they are talking about, and advantages and disadvantages between models are far too multi-faceted to wrap up in a simplistic binary summary.

   It would be fair to say that a wider range of coils and accessories are generally available for the Minelab machines. This however was of secondary importance when I considered the Whites advantages for my particular purposes, plus the excellent build quality and significantly lower price tag of the Whites top-line contender.

   In summary, I’m extremely satisfied with my cutting-edge machine and wouldn’t swap it for anything.

3. Treasurewriter
4. norman kennedy February 14, 2011 at 9:38 pm

   

   To be honest i have seen to many people “writing what call on the fence statements”
   Reason they are scared to say facts good or bad,about a particular metal detector.
   When you fork out $1500 plus for a metal detector you need to know what and how these detectors work”and to find real field tests”from pro detectorists.
   without pussy footing around, so to me you got to tell the truth about good points or bad.
   If you are new to treasure hunting/metal detecting you need to know before spending this kind of money.Norman Kennedy

5. mike April 6, 2011 at 1:21 pm

   

   I currently use a Fisher F75 but I’ve been researching both of these and it’s a tougher choice than I thought it would be.

   Right now I’m leaning towards the V3I and that’s mostly due to Whites excellent customer service and support.
   Mike

6. Viddy September 7, 2011 at 1:02 am

   

   I have a Minelab Xterra 705 and have a friend who I go out with who has the E Trac. I noticed posts about the White’s ‘perks’ VS the Etrac, such as:
   “Excellent customer support and service from their Scottish service center”, ..great! William Wallace is in the house!, but, IT’S ABOUT THE FINDS!
   “Very high quality wireless phones so you don’t have to worry about the cord when you put the machine down” …you can get some awesome after market wireless. IT’S ABOUT THE FINDS!
   “Secured owner registration details on the machine, reducing theft value” …uh. ok! very nice to know. but, IT’S ABOUT THE FINDS!
   etc etc etc….
   Minelab is the only one right now to make ‘all digital!’, like the 705 I have, which changes frequencies EVERY TIME I change my coil.

   so… let the technology do the work, and stop the flash-backs to the 70′s

   in My opinion… it’s like comparing a big Dodge Road Runner to a 2011 Ferrari … both are impressive, but one is a step ahead instead of defending the old regime…

7. Bob S January 17, 2012 at 5:22 pm

   

   I own both, here’s my observations……

   Whites V3/V3i:

   Pros:
   Lighter
   Far Superior Display (readable in any light condition)
   Wireless Headphone Option available
   Better Depth Indication / easier to read
   3 Methods to Analyse target
   Complexity of adjustments – allows far greater setup possibilities
   Multiple frequency operation w/ Selectable frequency operation
   Mixed mode audio possible (all metal + tone id)
   Greater number of tones for target identification

   Cons:
   Rod adjustment a pain (spring pins)
   Far more suceptible to EMI and Ground conditions causing flakiness
   Pinpointing without using dedicated pinpoint mode not as accurate
   Complexity of adjustments – can cause confusion

   E-Trac:

   Pros:
   Greater Target ID possibilities (FE + CO vs VDI)
   Exceptional pinpointing in search mode
   Super stable in all EMI and ground conditions
   Less complex controls – easier to grab and go
   Easier discrimination adjustment
   Higher resolution descrimination
   Super easy Rod lenght adjustment (slide lock)
   Multiple frequency operation – no selection

   Cons:
   Heavy
   LCD difficult to read in some light conditions (backlight not effective)
   Depth indication difficult to read
   Less complex controls – not as many configurable options
   Only two basic modes of operation: search / pinpoint
   Cannot be placed in single frequency operation
   single mode audio only

8. Jeremy Harris January 17, 2012 at 5:26 pm

   

   @Bob S: Thanks for that in-depth pros/cons list!

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